With the development of technology, Internet plays a more and more important role in daily life. Terminal equipment is linked to Interne through the connection provided by the Internet Service Provider (ISP) in earlier times. When the 3G mobile network is popular, the main stream of Internet access becomes using smart phones and tablets through mobile networks provided by Mobile Network Operators (MNOs). With hardware equipment of 3G or 4G base stations extensively spread, competition between MNOs gets increasingly intense.
Services of MNOs usually provide different service plans in order to fulfill various requirement from different customers. The service of mobile Internet access can be provided over a specific mobile network after an International Mobile Subscriber Identity (IMSI) is authenticated successfully with the secret key secured inside the Subscriber Identity Module (SIM). The service plan is normally combined with voice call service so that a smartphone installed with a SIM which stores the IMSI can provide mobile Internet access and voice services. Nowadays, mobile phone users have to pay for their mobile internet services based on the data volume which is consumed in Gigabyte or Kilobyte in order to enjoy the services. With the popularity of internet applications offering particular services such as social network, chatting, video streaming . . . , and etc. to their own subscribers over the mobile network without collaborating with the MNOs, creating a parasitic ecosystem over the mobile network built up and being maintained by the MNOs.
The business model mentioned above is called Over The Top (OTT). By using the mobile networks offered by the MNOs, service contents are provided by the service providers other than MNOs themselves. Meanwhile, the service providers don't have to pay to the MNOs for the cost of service operation. The OTTs normally provide their services in a “freemium” base, which means the users normally use them for free, so that they can quickly acquire large customer base without investment in the mobile network. With the dramatically increasing popularity of such service providers and users, it boosts the high usage of the data network and price erosions because of alternative access technologies such as Wi-Fi. The MNOs will also need to allocate much more budget over investment in network expansions and acquisitions of new bandwidth. However, based on the existing technologies that are ruing on a mobile network, there is no solution for MNOs to collaborate with the OTTs in order to manage the OTT services in the way where OTT can share the cost of the MNOs and provide quality insurance for the services.
On the other hand, due to Net Neutrality (Net Neutrality is the principle that MNOs and governments should treat all data on the Internet equally, no blocking, no throttling and no paid prioritization over the data that is supplied by an ISP to reach a legal site), MNOs can not even interfere the data from the service providers, in order to meet expectations from certain OTT partners to make profits form themselves. Such a dilemma for MNOs has been in existence for some time.
Telecom regulators such as FCC in the US and TRAI in India are starting to watch after the MNOs for the collaboration mechanisms with OTTs. MNO approaches such as “Zero-Rating” and “Blocking” for particular OTTs are likely violating the guideline of Net Neutrality and the regulators are making the rule which is keen to prohibit the MNO from any kind of manipulation over the network and billing system by providing internet service. This is further pushing the MNOs to the position of being a dumb pipe and the MNOs will be permanently facing the challenges of price erosion. Hence, the MNOs' new direction of development would be to manage
Multiple IMSIs within a single mobile device where MNOs are capable to transform their roles of carries from the ISP to the ASP (Application Service Provider) by IMSI switching, giving the customers choices between legacy mobile internet and prioritized services. By making internet service an option and giving the customer choices and awareness between mobile internet and managed OTT services, MNOs can unleash themselves from the constraints of Net Neutrality and obtain the freedom to play around with the billing system and network to achieve OTT partners' expectation. More aggressively, MNO can sell IMSIs to the OTTs like M2M model in order to increase revenue stream.
Thus, the inventor has spent much time and efforts on research and design in creating a system for providing multiple services over mobile network based multiple IMSI management. The system can resolve the above issues and help the MNO manage the OTT partners. Most importantly, the system helps the MNOs to provide improved service level and personalization to their customers.